WATERLOO, Iowa – Correen Acuff of Phoenix shot 300 and led the Professional Women’s Bowling Association Bowlers Journal Waterloo Open on Friday, while Ukraine’s Dasha Kovalova clinched the last spot after a one-game roll-off at Cadillac XBC in Waterloo, Iowa.
Acuff had a 12-game qualifying total of 2,793, which included the only perfect game for the day in Game 9, averaging over 232, with Stephanie Zavala of Long Beach, California, in second place with 2,758.
Breanna Clemmer of Clover, South Carolina, ended third with 2,733 after shooting a six-game block of 1,275 during the second round of qualifying, the highest six-game total of everyone who competed today. Malaysia’s Gillian Lim was fourth with 2,731 and Kerry Smith of Lititz, Pennsylvania, rounded out the top five with 2,726.
The final advancer of the day was Ukraine’s Dasha Kovalova after a one-game roll-off against Summer Jasmin of Beckley, West Virginia. They had tied for the 28th position with 2,601, with Kovalova winning the roll-off, 245-225.
Acuff never left her comfort zone on the 37-foot oil pattern, staying close to the gutter using urethane all 12 games and staying in control of the pocket.
“I knew urethane wasn’t going to be the only option, but it gave me a little bit of confidence,” said Acuff.
Since making the 2023 United States Bowling Congress Queens telecast, Acuff has learned a lot about herself when it comes to bowling.
“I have been learning to just trust myself, sometimes I get behind the moves, as well as improve my spare shooting,” said Acuff. “I had a few errors today but did much better during the second block.”
That second block included a perfect game and it was only a matter of time before Acuff shot her first PWBA 300 game.
“It’s funny because I had a couple of strings between today and last week (in Cleveland) and my mother-in-law texted me before the second block saying that she thought I was finally going to get a 300 this time,” Acuff said with a laugh.
The right-handed Arizonian had a busy offseason that included hand surgery and having her fourth kid with her husband, Derek, and will hope to bring a title back to her family this weekend.
Acuff and the other 27 bowlers will return at 10 a.m. Eastern Saturday morning for a third six-game qualifying block before a cut to the top 12 for the fourth and final six-game block, which will start at 3 p.m. Eastern. The top five will head to the stepladder finals beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday evening.
All rounds of competition will be livestreamed on BowlTV.
For more info on the Bowlers Journal Waterloo Open, visit PWBA.com/national-tour/pwba-waterloo-open.
